This invention relates to a composite cast article having a polymeric solid surface with added filler and a backing of similar material also filled with hollow bubbles, with no transition zone of unfilled polymer between the layers.
Solid surface materials are known in the art including those based on polymethyl methacrylate and alumina trihydrate. Basic technology for these products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,847,865--Duggins (1974), 4,085,246--Buser, Roedel and Vassiliou (1978), and published PCT patent application US88/04322--Frank, Otremba, Pohl and Schlier (1988).
Prior attempts to laminate such solid surface materials with bubble-filled backing material and fiberglass-reinforcement have led to expensive multi-step processes and to laminar products which had distinctly different layers with their own properties. Laminar products generally are more prone to delamination and other weaknesses due to the interface under certain conditions than integral products. Among the multi-layer, laminated products of this type is that of EP 285,046--Schock (1993).
All of the above-mentioned documents are incorporated herein by reference for their teachings of methods and materials for making solid surface filled polymeric materials. It would be desirable to be able to provide lighter weight sheet material with the surface characteristics of this solid surface material in integral form without laminar transitions between layers, and to be able to prepare such products by less expensive processes.